Take Turns – Meaning and Examples
When sharing resources, playing games, or having conversations, people often need to participate one after another. In English, we say they need to take turns. This fair and practical idiom is essential for talking about sharing and alternating in daily activities.
What Does “Take Turns” Mean?
“Take turns” means to do something one person after another in a fair, organized way. Think of it like people waiting in line—each person gets their chance in order. It describes the practice of alternating participation so everyone gets equal opportunity.
When to Use It
Use this idiom when children need to share toys or games. Use it in meetings when people need to speak one at a time. Use it for any situation requiring fair, organized participation. It is a positive phrase that promotes fairness and cooperation.
Example Sentences
- The children learned to take turns on the swing.
- In our meeting, we’ll take turns presenting our ideas.
- They take turns cooking dinner each night.
- Let’s take turns driving on our road trip so no one gets too tired.
Mini Dialogue
Parent: “There’s only one tablet, but both of you want to use it.”
Child: “We can take turns! I’ll use it for 30 minutes, then my sister can have it for 30 minutes.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Remember, this idiom implies organized, fair alternation. Don’t use it when people do things simultaneously or randomly.
❌ Don’t say: “We all took turns talking at the same time.” (This is impossible).
✅ Do say: “We took turns speaking during the discussion.”
Practice Tip
Think of one activity you do with others where sharing is important. Create a sentence like “We take turns [choosing the movie] on Friday nights.” For example, “We take turns [doing the dishes]” or “We take turns [picking restaurants] when we go out.”
Final Note
You now know how to use “take turns” to describe fair sharing and organized alternation. This cooperative phrase will help you talk about fairness and equal participation in games, work, and daily life. Use it to promote harmony and equal opportunity in group activities!
